PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

I'm asking this because I haven't been so successful on the PL Omaha tables. I generally play the "premium" hands. With a high pair w/ high kickers hand I only play if I have a set and with a suited A w/ high kickers hand, I only play if I have the pot odds for my flush draw.

That's my general playing strategy but it hasn't been working out. Any tips out there?

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

You should be playing a lot of connecting cards - either 1 or 2 suited.

Hands like 789T, 89tJ, 6789, etc are very playable in PLO.

Also - medium pairs with connecting cards are good.

9987 - single or double suited is very playable also.

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

[ QUOTE ]
You should be playing a lot of connecting cards - either 1 or 2 suited.

Hands like 789T, 89tJ, 6789, etc are very playable in PLO.

Also - medium pairs with connecting cards are good.

9987 - single or double suited is very playable also.

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? I'll play 9987 and similar hands but I don't like 6789, 789T, etc. even if they're double suited. Do you know if there are "groups" of starting hands like there are for Hold Em?

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

You really need to work adding in 4 connecting cards - you are missing out on a lot of pots this way.

Once you do that- you will also be able to add in one gappers.

A hand like 789T plays great in a multi way pot - either raised, or un-raised.

I do like it more for straights, but the backdoor flushes help out too.

Think of how many good flops can come for your 789T hand - even with no suits

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

I'm at work, so I can't do it now, but run some simulations with a hand like 6789- ss vs. AAQT AAKT, AA65-ds

etc. You'll be amazed how close they are.

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Really? I'll play 9987 and similar hands but I don't like 6789, 789T, etc. even if they're double suited. Do you know if there are "groups" of starting hands like there are for Hold Em?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll take 6789 double suited and 789T double suited up against Aces any day of the week and TWICE on Sunday.

Those are my favorite hands in PLO, they make a boat load of money when you hit and are easy to get away from when you whiff. I'll even call a raise with them in position, even if the raise came from UTG.

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

Cool. Thanks for the input so far. Oftentimes I find myself on a draw. For example I'll have the nut flush draw, is it ever okay to call a pot bet when I'm only getting 2:1, 3:1 odds?

I'm really trying to solidify my postflop play as much as preflop play, so please leave any tips.

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

WORD!! [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

Buy some books; read this forum.

We havent been THAT busy so the archive isnt massive.

You will find book recommendations there too.

And don't focus TOO much on stating hands, beyond playing things that are semi-decent. PLO is a post flop game more than anything.

gl

Dave
Poker Blog - Omaha Galore!

Re: PL Omaha, am I playing it wrong?
 

Bob Ciaffone has an excellent chapter on PLO starting hands in his book "Omaha Hold'em Poker", and you can also find two articles about PLO hand selection on my own site. Big Dave is correct though that post-flop play in PLO is very important, and especially the small / medium rundown type of hands mentioned here are usually profitable only for those who know how to play well after the flop.

Rolf Slotboom
www.rolfslotboom.com